Sam Riley plays a former tennis pro who spends his days in paradise on the Spanish island of Fuerteventura. When he’s not giving monotonous lessons to guests at a luxury resort, he’s usually passed out on a beach after a night of heavy drinking. Either way, the term ‘washed-up’ seems fitting. Life gets interesting when he crosses paths with a femme fatale and her husband, newly arrived tourists, in the neo-noir thriller from German director Jan-Ole Gerster. With themes of isolation and obsession, heightened by Dascha Dauenhauer’s atmospheric score, expect Hitchcock vibes.
When we first meet Tom (Riley), he’s waking up on an isolated beach. Hungover, unsure of his surroundings, it’s just business as usual for the raspy-voiced 45-year-old Brit who usually sports a backward baseball cap. Some mornings, Tom wakes up in a stranger’s hotel room after a night of drunken sex with a tourist he picked up at the local nightclub. It’s a life of endless drinking, partying, and casual hook-ups on Fuerteventura, the second largest of Spain’s Canary Islands.
By day, Tom gives tennis lessons to tourists at a resort hotel. It’s a humdrum job, evident by the former tennis pro’s lack of enthusiasm as he hits balls over the net. The islanders call Tom “Aces” because he once beat Rafael Nadal while training at the height of his career.
One day, a new batch of tourists arrives, including Anne (Stacy Martin), her husband, Dave (Jack Farthing), and their 8-year-old son, Anton (Dylan Torrell). Martin, a terrific actress who appeared in 2024’s “The Brutalist” and is currently in “The Testament of Ann Lee,” gives off Femme Fatale vibes as she steps off the bus, exchanging glances with Tom, suggesting there may be some history between them.
The next day, Anne approaches Tom about private lessons for Anton. He tells her his schedule is full, but she’s determined: “We could pay extra,” she says, adding that she’s willing to pay double his rate. Tom hesitates, taken aback by her persistence, and replies, “It’s not necessary. There’s a slot tomorrow.” Again, there’s a weird tension between the two.
Enter Anne’s husband, Dave. Friendly but with a sense of superiority. Just another wealthy jerk. After Anton’s tennis lesson, he asks to hit a few with Dave. He’s also a cheat. Enough said.
Tom’s not bothered by Dave’s attitude. He feels connected to Anne; maybe that’s why he pulls a few strings to get them in a better room. Also, Tom and Anton get along well, and in a scene where Anne asks Tom to take a picture with her and her son, it hits you like a ton of bricks. They resemble a family, and Anton looks a bit like Tom. Did I mention that Anne runs her hand down Tom’s back while Dave snaps the pic?
Riley gave us an unforgettable performance in 2007 as Joy Division singer-songwriter Ian Curtis in the biographical film “Control.” After Curtis’s death, the band went on to form New Order, whose song “Bizarre Love Triangle” seems appropriate as “Islands” transitions into a neo-noir thriller complete with a mystery (Dave goes missing), a Police inspector (Ramiro Blas), a band of surfers, and an exotic location with an active volcano, and obsession leading to love or lust as redemption.
The sun-frazzled thriller evokes Hitchcock with slow-burn tension, as in “Vertigo” and “Rear Window,” while Juan C. Sarmiento Grisales’ dazzling cinematography turns the location into a character, and Dascha Dauenhauer’s moody score finally plays an important role, evoking feelings of loneliness, mystery, and beauty. At times, paying tribute to the “Master of Suspense” composer Bernard Herrmann.
French actress Stacy Martin, who made her 2013 debut in Lars von Trier’s “Nymphomaniac” and is a frequent collaborator with Brady Corbett, appearing in his films, including 2024’s “The Brutalist,” personifies the femme fatale role. Alongside Sam Riley, take the modest thriller to the next level. Jan-Ole Gerster leaves the ending up to interpretation, which only adds to the shroud of intrigue.
(3 stars)
Now showing in theaters
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